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There are several car parks in Bouthéon:
- One near the château
- Two near the post office
- One on Place de la Carra
This makes it very convenient to park before setting off.
(S/E) The easiest way is to start from the castle on Rue Mathieu de Bourbon, continue along this street with the castle on your left, and turn left onto Place de la Carra. At the end of the square, turn right onto Rue de l'Oratoire, then left at the crossroads onto Rue des Noyers.
Continue and, at the fork, turn left onto the steep descent with the evocative name: La côte Noire (Black Hill)! It's a nice stretch, so let's ride down it. At the bottom, a path on the right passes in front of a farm: that's the way! No need to worry, just continue along the same path and pass under the motorway. At the fork, turn left.
(1) Climb up a mound and turn left.
(2) Be careful on the small, badly damaged wooden bridge; it's safer to cross it on foot.
Then follow the path and pass under the motorway again. You will come to a quarry. Turn left and go around the quarry on the left. There is a truck crossing, so be careful!
(3) A sign indicates the path to follow; turn left. This path leads to a small metal bridge. Once you have crossed it, follow the path.
You will come to a road blocked by a level crossing (probably to protect the quarry). Cross the road and continue along the path, which quickly becomes a wide, easy-to-ride track. Continue straight ahead and turn right at every fork in the road.
(4) You will arrive at a huge leisure park. From there, the route is fairly open, just stay as far to the right as possible, along the Loire.
(5) Go under a bridge and continue in the same direction, with the Loire on your right, following the path.
(6) You will come to a road, which you follow to the right for 300 to 350 metres.
(7) Be careful, a sign indicates how to find the path again. Turn right and rejoin the path along the Loire.
(8) Go under the bridge and continue along the Loire. You will come to another promenade and another leisure park.
(9) Continue to Rue de la Marine, where you will need to walk along the road for a short distance. Take care, as you will be walking against the flow of traffic for at least 250 metres.
(10) At the roundabout, turn right onto the bridge, but be careful as this is a busy road.
(1) Once you have crossed the bridge, turn right and join the path along the banks of the Loire. You are now on the left bank, with the Loire on your right, and follow the path that runs alongside it.
You will arrive at another leisure park. Join the path along the riverbank, follow the path keeping the Loire on your right and you will be fine.
(11) Describe the instructions from the crossing point here.
(12) You will pass under the bridge again. The path is still easy to follow.
(13) Be careful, a sign indicates that you must turn right at a right angle.
(14) Cross the wooden bridge. You can walk across it without worry as it is solid. Be careful, this is a passage between a pond and the Loire, so large puddles and holes of water are a possibility...
(15) It depends: pavement or road for the bridge?
If it's the pavement: go under the bridge, go up to the left, and take the pavement on the bridge in the opposite direction to the cars (ride on the left on the pavement, with the cars coming towards you).
If it's the road, we don't go under the bridge, we go up directly to the left and take the bridge on the road by turning right.
(16) Turn left, where a small sign indicates the route to the three ports.
You will come to the large leisure park. Continue, leaving the ponds on your left, until you pass the water treatment plant.
(17) Turn right and leave a small pond on your left.
Continue to the road at elevation 362, cross carefully, and during hunting season, do not continue straight ahead but turn left.
(18) The hill is steep, measuring 250 metres.
Take Rue de Beauregard, turn right at the crossroads and take the first left onto Rue Mathieu de Bourbon. Continue until you reach Place de la Carra (S/E).
